BEIJING - The Ministry of Railways said Saturday that online sales of tickets for Beijing-Tianjin intercity trains will be launched on Sunday.

The move is aimed at enhancing convenient purchases of tickets for Beijing-Tianjin intercity trains, the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

Passengers can log onto www.12306.cn, the website of China railway customer service center, to check and book train tickets. The Internet portal operates from 5 am to midnight every day.

The online ticket sales system allows passengers to use four types of personal identification, including ID cards, mainland travel permits for Hong Kong and Macao residents, entry permits of Taiwan residents to the mainland, and passports, the statement said.

The ministry said the online train ticket sales system will also be introduced in the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, which will start operations at the end of June.